The Minority in Parliament is demanding the re-arrest of the eight members of vigilante group, Delta Force who were set free on Wednesday after they raided a competent court of jurisdiction.
“We demand therefore that the cancerous exercise of discretion be reversed immediately, the accused re-arraigned before court,” Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu stated.
A Kumasi Circuit Court presided over by Her Honour, Patricia Amponsah, discharged the accused persons and dismissed the case after the Attorney General pursuing the case directed the police to discontinue it because they had insufficient evidence against them.
But according to the Minority, evidence abounds even on social media that could have been used to nail the alleged culprits provided government did not want to apply partisan considerations to the matter.
Addressing the media, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrissu called on the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to show leadership in the face of what they term as an utter disrespect to the institution of the Judiciary.
“We refer to the action by the Hon. Attorney-General as bizarre because this is a government that claims to be adherent to the Rule of Law. This is a travesty of justice and a lack of respect for the judiciary…The decision by the Hon. Attorney-General is a confirmation of the claim by the leading members of the NPP at the time of the lawless action by the Delta Forces that the culprits will be set free. We are of the view that government is pandering to partisan pressures to the detriment of justice and to upholding the independence of the judiciary.”
Huruna Iddrish said they consider the “Nolle Prosequi as a gross abuse of discretion simpliciter and we call on the President to demonstrate leadership and not to be led by the various lawless forces within his party.”
Background
They eight were arraigned for freeing some 13 of their members who were facing trial for assaulting the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator.
They were prior to being discharged on Wednesday granted bail .
‘Release of Delta Force members unreasonable’
A Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Legal Team, Abraham Amaliba had described as unreasonable , the basis for which the eight Delta Force members were freed.
Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Amaliba maintained that the argument of evidence proffered by the prosecution and the Attorney General is unfortunate and unbelievable.
“It is a sad day for the Rule of Law in Ghana. This government claims they are advocates for the Rule of Law but I don’t think they believe in the Rule of Law at all. In the first place, how did they identify the eight accused persons before arresting them? They must have known that they were the ones who perpetrated the offence and for them to come out and say there is no evidence linking them to the offence; that is the question. Did they just go on the streets and randomly arrest people. They have time without number acknowledged that they are members of the NPP. “The Attorney General is a member of the NPP. The Attorney General cannot see herself prosecuting them and so clearly this has more to do with using party affiliation to discontinue the matter. It has nothing to do with the lack of evidence,” he added.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin
